Me Before You
by crazykelly101
Summary: Nathan Scott, wealthy, newly drafted NBA star, has his life turned upside down when he is paralyzed in a car accident. A year later, Haley James, a young woman from a small town, is hired to be his caregiver. Along the way, the two form an unlikely bond.
1. Chapter 1

"Hmmmm…good morning," Nathan heard a voice say to him, as he felt arms wrap around his naked torso.

"Yeah, it is," he smirked, suddenly shifting their weights and pouncing on top of her, reaching to tuck her blonde curls behind her ear.

"Do you really have to go?" she whined, reaching her arms up to wind them around his neck, pulling him down so their lips touched.

"Peyton, this weekend was…amazing, but tonight could be the biggest game of my career," Nathan replied, "Don't you want me to make the big bucks?"

"Ugh, fine," she sighed, catching one last kiss before pushing him off of her, wrapping the sheet around herself as she slunk into the bathroom, "I'm going to shower before I head into the studio."

"I think I'm going to go for a ride, clear my head," Nathan said, crawling out of bed himself.

"Nate, it's pouring outside," Peyton retorted, "I'd like to get out of this shower knowing you're alive and not dead on the side of the road somewhere."

"Fine," Nathan relented, "How about I make you breakfast?"

"Since when do you cook?" she laughed.

"Maybe we can make it a game day ritual?" he suggested, "I'll just run to the market and grab a few things. I'll be back before you know it."

"You better," she winked, before dropping the sheet.

* * *

As his girlfriend had informed him, when Nathan stepped outside, he regretted not bringing an umbrella. He pulled up the hood of his grey sweatshirt and began to jog down the road. As he ran, his phone rang.

"Luke, hey, what's up?" he said.

"Hey bro, I just wanted to call and wish you good luck tonight," Lucas, Nathan's half-brother said.

Nathan reached the crosswalk, and stepped out to cross to the supermarket.

He heard the squeal of tires, saw the bright headlights, and the next thing he knew, everything was black.

* * *

 **ONE YEAR LATER…**

"Have a good night Stan," Haley smiled, wiping her hands on her apron, locking the door behind the last customer of the night at the café.

Turning to face her boss, who usually wore a smile, she was surprised to see her looking rather distraught.

"Karen, is everything alright?" she asked.

"Haley, I…I don't know how to say this," Karen stammered, "I'm closing the café."

Haley's jaw dropped, "Karen, I know it's been slow lately, but it's almost summer and business will pick up."

"It's not about business, Haley," Karen assured her, "Well, it partly is but, I'm not getting any younger. Andy and I, we want to see the world."

Haley sighed. All of Karen's life, she'd only thought of others, always put others' needs before her own. She couldn't blame her for wanting to live her life.

"I understand," Haley nodded, "I want you to be happy, Karen. You've always been so good to me, and I can't thank you enough for everything."

Karen reached under the counter, pulling out an envelope, "This is the best I can do. I'm sorry it's not more."

Haley accepted the envelope, and hugged the older woman.

* * *

"A month's pay? After all you've done for her?" Jimmy James yelled, after Haley had gotten home that night, "You've slaved away in that café for four years."

"Jimmy, calm down, everything is going to be alright," Lydia James tried to assure her husband, "Haley will find another job."

"There are no jobs, Lydia, I should know," he sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table, resting his head in his hands.

"Let's not panic, hm?" Lydia put on a smile, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders, "She'll find something."

"Babe, I'm sure you'll find another job," Chris said, as he plucked the strings of his guitar, "And until then, don't worry about the tour. I'll pay. I gotta have my best girl there with me."

"Thanks," she managed to force a smile, as he placed a rough kiss to her lips.

The two were interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.

"Karen, hey, how are you?" Haley said, leaning on the edge of the couch in Chris' apartment.

"I'm good, Haley, I'm actually about to leave for the airport," Karen replied, "I just wanted to apologize again. I wish that I could've done more."

"Karen, you don't have to apologize," Haley assured her.

"Have you found a new job yet?" she asked the young woman.

Haley gulped, "Um, no, not yet, I'm still looking."

"Well, maybe I can help you," Karen responded.

* * *

A few days later, Haley sat nervously in a large mansion, pulling at the edge of her skirt. She still couldn't believe that Karen had gotten her this interview.

All she had said was that she knew of someone who was looking for a caregiver for a disabled man. They were desperate, and when Haley had heard how much they planned to pay, she'd dropped her cell phone. After a strange look from Chris, she'd readily accepted the chance.

"You must be Haley James," a voice pulled her from her daydreaming.

Haley looked up to see a woman with long blonde hair, in her early forties.

"I'm Deborah Scott, you can call me Deb," the woman smiled, "Please, come with me to the sitting room."

Haley's eyes widened, as she quickly moved to follow the woman. She thought the room she'd been sitting in was the sitting room. They entered a large room, with a fireplace and a chandelier.

"Please, have a seat," Deb ushered her the white leather couch opposite the one she was seated upon, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, thank you," Haley replied.

"Now, Miss James, do you have any experience as a caregiver or an aide?"

"No," Haley admitted, "But, um, I'm willing to learn."

"What about paralysis? Do you have any knowledge or experience about that?" Deb asked.

Haley sighed, "Not really. I've seen the Paralympics on TV."

"Miss James, we're talking about loss of leg function and limited arm and hand function," Deb retorted, "Would that bother you in any way?"

Haley chuckled, "Not as much as it would bother him."

Her laughter immediately ceased as she saw Deb's eyes narrow slightly, "Oh, I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."

Deb took a deep breath before continuing, "Karen says that you're a warm, bubbly, and life-enhancing presence.

"Yeah, I totally paid her to say that," Haley said, immediately regretting her statement that had just come out. When she got nervous, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, often rambling to no avail.

"So, Haley, what exactly do you want to do with your life?" Deb asked, her body stiffening slightly.

"Um, well…I…uh…" Haley stammered.

Deb sighed, obviously frustrated, "Miss James, why should I give you this job?"

"Mrs. Scott, uh, Deb, I am a fast learner, and I never get sick, I only live a mile away, and I make the best mac and cheese you'll ever eat. You know, there isn't much that can't be solved by a good, home-cooked meal," Haley continued, "Not to say that your husband's paralysis could be solved by food…."

"My husband?" Deb questioned, interrupting Haley, shaking her head, "No, it's not my husband. It's my son."

Haley's eyes widened again, "Your son?"

"Yes, Nathan was injured in an accident last year," Deb stated.

"Oh, Deb, I'm sorry," Haley managed to stutter, "When I'm nervous, I say stupid stuff."

The two were interrupted by a man entering the room. He had dark hair and dark eyes; Haley thought he looked slightly menacing.

"Another interview?" Dan Scott said.

"Will you be back tonight, dear?" Deb asked.

Dan sighed, "I'll do my best. Why, do you need me for something?"

"No," Deb quickly replied.

"How rude of me," Dan said, extending his hand to Haley, "Dan Scott, I'm Nathan's father."

"Haley James," she introduced herself.

"I'll see you later Deb," Dan said, before walking out.

Deb turned back to Haley, "So, when can you start?"

Haley couldn't help but choke on the tea she'd been drinking, "Wh…What?"

"Can you start tomorrow?" Deb asked.

"Yes, yes, of course," Haley replied, "Thank you Mrs. Scott, I mean, Deb."

Deb smiled, "Alright, let's go meet Nathan."

* * *

"So, this is the guest house," Deb said, leading Haley into the massive backyard, complete with inground swimming pool and hot tub, "We'd never used it until…the accident. Nathan lives out here, separate but close enough, you know."

"Of course," Haley replied, following Deb into the guest house. Just like the main house, it was large, spacious, and extravagant.

Deb continued, "I'll get you a set of car keys and I'll put you on our insurance. The cupboards and fridge are fully stocked, help yourself to whatever you'd like. Now, I'll leave it to you and Nathan to figure out how much you'll interact. Obviously, I'd like for you two to get along. It would be nice if he could think of you as a friend, rather than someone who's only here for a paycheck."

Haley nodded, as they approached a large door. Deb knocked. With a loud grunt as a response, Deb opened the door.

Haley saw a dark haired young man sitting in a wheelchair. His hair was longer and shaggy, touching his shoulders. And from his profile she could see a scruffy beard on his face. But before any of that, the first thing she really noticed wasn't the wheelchair he sat in, but his piercing ice blue eyes.

"Hi," Haley managed to stammer, "I'm Haley." No response. Just his eyes locked with hers.

"Nathan, this is Haley James," Deb introduced. Nathan stared intently at her, not saying a word, before turning his wheelchair around to stare out the window once more.

"I'm sorry, he has good days and bad days," Deb apologized.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here Mom," Nathan finally spoke, "My brain isn't paralyzed….yet."

A moment of silence passed before Haley broke it, "I'm Haley."

Nathan looked at her, "You already said that."

* * *

"The Scott's?" Jimmy said in astonishment, "My daughter is working for the Scott's? Looks like we're moving up in the world."

"I really don't know too much about them," Haley answered honestly.

"Honey, have you not looked at magazine covers or watched the news in the last few years?" her father retorted, "Dan Scott owns Scott Enterprises. He owns half this town. Deb works with a bunch of different charities all over the country. And Nathan. God, Nathan was a basketball superstar at Duke, and he got drafted to the Lakers before…"

"The accident," Haley completed her father's sentence, "Yeah, I don't really know what happened. I guess it's not entirely my business, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough."

"So, what's he like?" her father questioned.

"Rude," Haley immediately said, "But I mean, I just met him. He can't be that bad."

* * *

"Alright, you have my number and Dan's," Deb said, clutching her purse as she waited to leave for a charity meeting, "Nathan's painkillers are in the cabinet. You can give him one if he asks, but try to avoid giving him sleeping pills. They tend to make him…a little irritable."

Haley bit her lip, nodding slightly.

"Well, more irritable than usual," Deb elaborated, "Anyway, don't worry, you're not here for anything physical, besides medication."

Haley looked confused, "Then, what am I here for?"

Deb sighed, looking into Nathan's room, where he sat in his chair, headphones on, staring out the window, "To cheer him up, I guess."

Haley had been sitting in the kitchen, paging through a cookbook for almost an hour, before she finally worked up the courage to talk to Nathan. She slowly approached the door, knocking softly.

His head turned, taking off his headphones, "What?"

She took a deep breath, "I thought we could go out for the afternoon."

"Oh really?" Nathan replied, the fake enthusiasm clearly evident, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, your mom said that you have a car that was adapted for wheelchairs," Haley began, before Nathan cut her off.

"Oh, and you thought that a drive would be good for me?" Nathan questioned, "Some fresh air, hmmm?"

"Well, okay then Nathan, what do you usually do here all day?" Haley asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I sit," Nathan snapped, "I don't do anything."

Haley sighed, "Fine, why don't you just tell me what you do like to do, and maybe we could do that?"

Nathan tossed his headphones onto his bed, wheeling his chair close to where she stood in the doorway, "Look, Haley, you seem nice enough. But, my mom says you like to talk…a lot. Let's make a deal, hmm? Where you don't talk a lot, around me."

Haley took a step back, like she'd just been punched. Nathan's words had stung a little, "Uh…okay. I guess I'll just be in the kitchen, if you need me."

* * *

 **Hope y'all enjoyed the first chapter of my Naley version of "Me Before You!"**

 **I know I haven't updated Break Down My Walls or my songfic Say You Won't Let Go. I am working on those chapters now, but this idea came to me when I reread the book, and I couldn't stop thinking about Naley as Will and Lou from Me Before You!**

 **Let me know what you think! Please review and let me know what you'd like to see!**


	2. Chapter 2

_****I do not own these ideas. All credit goes to JoJo Moyes, the author of Me Before You****_

* * *

Haley walked into the Scott's backyard, stopping in her tracks when she saw Deb in a heated discussion with a tall, slender African-American man who looked about Haley and Nathan's age

"Oh Haley, good, you're here," Deb said, "I wanted you to meet Quentin Fields, Nathan's physical therapist."

Shaking the man's hand, Haley was still confused, but Deb didn't leave her much room to talk, "I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but I have meetings with two different charities this afternoon. I'll see you later, Haley."

Deb quickly headed inside, leaving Haley standing next to Quentin.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but if Nathan's paralyzed…" Haley began.

"Why does he need physical therapy?" Quentin finished her sentence, "I guess Deb and Dan haven't been too forthcoming about Nathan's accident? Or his condition?"

"Deb said I'm not here for the physical stuff, I didn't think it was my place to ask," Haley replied.

Quentin sighed, looking towards the guest house, "We should get inside. Don't want to leave him alone for too long."

* * *

"I was planning on making some lunch," Haley said, opening the kitchen cupboards, "Do you want some? I've gotten bored of cooking for one."

"He won't eat your food?" Quentin smiled.

"Won't even touch it," Haley rolled her eyes, "I swear, the guy lives on pizza and PB&Js."

"Well, when you've had to stay on a strict diet for as long as he did, you tend to go a little overboard once you're able to eat whatever you want," Quentin answered, "You don't know how many times his doctors and I have told him he needs to eat better."

Haley started cooking the elbow pasta noodles on the stove, "I can make myself scarce, if you need to do the therapy with Nathan. You won't even know I'm here."

Quentin laughed again, "Yeah, you don't have to worry about that. I've been employed by the Scott's since Nathan's accident. He hasn't done any physical therapy for the last six months."

"Wait, so if he's in physical therapy, does that mean there's a chance he could walk again?" Haley questioned, but before Quentin could answer, Nathan wheeled himself into the kitchen, looking stone-faced as always.

"Hi," Haley smiled, trying her best to stay positive, even though he had shown no emotion to her in the week she'd been working there, "I'm making mac and cheese. Do you want some?"

He didn't answer, just glared at her, before pulling a day-old pizza box out from the fridge.

"Come on, man," Quentin tried, "What do you say we hit the weights today, hmm? Maybe try something other than pizza and video games?"

"Nah," Nathan shook his head, "I've got Halo ready to go, Q. Come on."

Nathan wheeled himself back into his room, opening the pizza box and grabbing a controller.

"So, what, you're a best friend for-hire?" Haley joked, stirring the cheese into the pasta.

Quentin shook his head, "I know he's intense….and an ass. But he's really not that bad, once you get to know him, once he lets you in. He's been through a lot. He's just….lost."

He started to walk towards Nathan's room, before Haley spoke up again, "How many people have worked here?"

He sighed, "Five. And he's run them all off. But…there's something about you, Miss James. I have a good feeling about you."

* * *

A few days later, Haley was putting away Nathan's laundry. The times she'd been in his room before had been quick, get in, get out, not taking much time to look around. But, this time, she found herself looking at the framed photos on the dresser, neatly displayed, facing the bed.

The first showed Nathan, in his high school letterman jacket, smiling, with his arm around his mother.

The second was of Nathan and a blonde haired young man, his eyes identical to Nathan's. The two were seated at a bar, both smiling smugly.

The third photo was the one that really caught her eye. It showed Nathan, his arms wrapped around a leggy woman with curly blonde hair, her green eyes shimmering in the light of the flash of the camera. The two were dressed to the nines, Nathan in a tuxedo, the blonde in a tight black dress.

"Do you like the penguin suit?" Nathan's voice said from the doorway, startling her, as she dropped the stack of clothes in her hands.

"Sorry, I was…uh, I was…" Haley began to stammer.

Nathan narrowed his eyes, "You were looking at my photos, thinking how shitty it must be that I had that life, and now I have this one."

Haley opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't get any words to come out, unsure of what to say.

"The rest of them are in the top left drawer, if you want to keep messing around with my stuff," Nathan retorted, before wheeling himself off.

* * *

Haley sighed, falling back onto her best friend's bed, "Brooke, every time I say anything to him, he looks at me like I'm stupid."

Brooke Davis, the dark-haired beauty, was unlike anyone Haley had ever met. She worked at a local tailoring shop part time, and sold her own clothing designs on the side. Haley was convinced she'd make it big one day.

"Maybe he's like that with everyone," Brooke suggested, taking a seat next to Haley on the bed, "Until he knows you're going to stick around. I mean, it's only been ten days."

"It feels like a lifetime," Haley replied.

"You said that the other five women quit, right? They couldn't handle it. Maybe…he needs to know that you're serious, that you'll stand your ground," Brooke stated, "Haley James, I've known you for years. You tell it like it is. Just, stand up to the asshole, hmm?"

"Maybe…" Haley smiled, "Maybe tomorrow."

* * *

"Haley, um, Nathan has some visitors coming by," Deb said, standing inside the main house with her, "We weren't expecting them. It would be nice if you could…"

"I'll make up some food, and some coffee," Haley interjected, "And I'll leave them alone."

"Thank you," Deb smiled painfully, before walking out the door.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the guesthouse door. Haley opened it, her smile fading quickly when she recognized the people on the other side of the door.

"Come in," she said, after realizing she'd just been standing there.

The blonde haired man and the blonde haired woman from Nathan's photos entered the room, looking nervous and a little jumpy.

"I'm Lucas Scott," the man extended his hand to Haley.

"Scott?" Haley questioned.

"Nathan is my half-brother," Lucas explained.

"Oh, um, it's nice to meet you," Haley replied, "I'm Haley James."

"Peyton Sawyer," the blonde woman quickly said.

Haley noticed the shirt that she was wearing, "Red Bedroom Records? Isn't that the label for Mia Catallano? I love her music."

"Yeah," the blonde nodded, "I own the label in LA. Mia's my only artist right now, but she's a real talent."

Their conversation ended quickly, when Nathan wheeled himself into the room, his face looking as stoic as Haley had ever seen it.

"I'll just be on the porch," Haley excused herself, allowing the three to be left alone.

* * *

After some awkward silence, Lucas asked, "So, how's the physical therapy going? Any improvements?"

"No," Nathan answered simply.

"Well, you look good, little brother," Lucas replied.

Nathan sighed, "So, why are you guys here?"

Peyton finally spoke up, barely able to make eye contact with Nathan, "I'm sorry it's been so long. I've just been so busy with the label and Mia."

"Yeah, and my publisher's been hounding me to get the last few chapters of my novel finished," Lucas replied, "I'm sorry I haven't come back to visit. It's a long flight from LA to North Carolina, you know?"

"You didn't answer my question," Nathan stated, "Why are you here?"

It was then that Nathan noticed something on Peyton's hand catch the sunlight that was streaming in from the large windows.

 ** _A few minutes later…_**

Peyton had tears welling in her eyes, "Please say something, Nate."

"Congratulations," he replied, the ice-cold feeling of his words evident to everyone in the room.

"Nathan, neither of us meant for this to happen," Peyton insisted, "We were just friends, you know? But, Lucas was there for me after your accident."

"Oh, wow, how big of him," Nathan scoffed.

Peyton took a step towards Nathan, who in turn, moved back, "Nathan, please, I…"

Lucas placed a hand on her arm, "Peyton, I think we should go."

Peyton turned back to Nathan, "I'm so sorry…I really am."

"We both are," Lucas insisted, "And we…we both hope that things get better, Nate."

Haley was sitting on the porch of the guest house, and she'd heard bits and pieces of the conversation inside, though she hadn't meant to eavesdrop. She quickly tried to look like she'd been reading when Lucas and Peyton walked outside.

Peyton made eye contact with Haley, knowing that she'd heard what had happened inside, "You know, I tried, for months. He just pushed me away, didn't want me here. I left LA to be here for him, but you know, you can only help someone who actually wants to be helped."

* * *

Haley waited a few minutes before going back inside, hurrying to Nathan's room when she heard a loud crash.

She entered to find all of his photos on the floor, the frames broken, glass shards littering the floor.

"Oh, okay, don't move until I clean this up," Haley told Nathan, crouching down to pick up the frames and the photos, "I don't know what I would do if you popped a wheelchair tire. I'm not trained for situations like this."

She looked up from her position near the floor, surprised to see a half smile on Nathan's face. It immediately disappeared when their eyes connected.

"Ugh, it was awful Chris," Haley told her boyfriend as they sat in his apartment, "I mean, his girlfriend and his brother."

"Can you really blame him, though?" Chris questioned, as he polished his guitar, "Are you saying you would stay with me if I was paralyzed?"

"Of course I would," Haley replied, looking at him like he was crazy.

"Well, I wouldn't want someone staying with me out of pity, that's for damn sure," said Chris, focusing more on his precious guitar than his girlfriend, "Oh, and Haley, about the tour…"

"Yeah," Haley bit her lip, "What about it?"

"They've set it up for September," Chris answered, "Have you talked to the Scott MILF about the time off?"

Haley looked at him with disgust, but he was too busy looking at the guitar in the light, "Not yet, but um, I'll work on it."

* * *

"Damn," Haley swore under her breath, as she sat at Nathan's kitchen table, trying to glue a picture frame back together a few days later. She adjusted the poncho her mother had made her a few years ago, so the fringe wouldn't get stuck in the glue.

She heard the sound of Nathan's wheelchair approaching, and found him staring at her, with his signature icy gaze, "What are you doing?"

"Um, I was just trying to see if I could fix some of these," Haley gestured to the photos and broken pieces of frames scattered on the table. Not seeing a response from him, she continued, "Or, uh, I could go to the store, and get some new ones. Or, we could both go, I mean, I'm sure it'd be nice for you to get out of this house, and…"

Nathan clenched his jaw, interrupting her, "You know, Haley, me breaking those wasn't an accident."

Haley felt a little anxious, her brown eyes locked with his blue, "I'm sorry, I just thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong," Nathan replied coldly, "I don't want those pictures staring back at me every time I'm shuffling myself out of bed into my wheelchair."

Haley was now starting to get a little frustrated with him, turning over the broken frame that contained the photo of him and and his ex, "I wasn't going to fix the one of Peyton. I'm not that stupid."

"Dammit, Haley, it's not just about Peyton, alright?" Nathan shouted, "Whatever. Why don't you just go raid your grandma's thrift shop closet, or whatever it is you do when you're not smiling every second or making mac and cheese?"

Nathan turned his chair around, starting to head back to his room. That was it. Haley had had enough. Brooke's words from a few days before flowed into her mind.

"You don't have to be an asshole, okay?" Haley snapped, causing Nathan to stop dead in his tracks, "Peyton and Lucas got the shitty treatment, and that's fine. They kind of deserved it. But, me? I'm just trying to do my job the best that I can. So you know what, Nathan? It would be really nice if you didn't try and make my life as miserable as you apparently make everyone else's."

"What if I said that I didn't want you here?" Nathan fired back.

"Well, that doesn't matter, because I'm not getting paid by you, I'm getting paid by your mother," Haley narrowed her eyes, "So, unless she says she doesn't want me here. I'm staying. Not because I want to, or because I like spending so much time with you. But because I need the money. I really need the money."

Tears brimmed in Haley's eyes, partly from anger and frustration, and partly from the real reason she needed this job, why she needed the money so badly.

She looked up, her eyes meeting Nathan's again, and this time, she saw a different look on his face. It had softened, like he was feeling empathy or something, "Um, you can just put the pictures back in the drawer."

She thought she heard a faint, mumbled I'm sorry, before he went back in his room, shutting the door.

* * *

An hour later, she sat curled up on the couch, reading Julius Caesar, as a warm summer rain pelted down on the windows.

"I don't need a babysitter," she heard Nathan's voice as he finally came out of his room.

"I never said you did," Haley replied softly, setting her book down on the coffee table, "Your mother called, and she was running late. She asked me to stay a little longer."

"Don't you have a life outside of this place?" he asked.

"Well, you know, keeping up with my grandma's thrift shop closet and smiling keeps me really busy," Haley said, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Nathan put his arms up in surrender, another half-smile appearing on his face, "Alright, I deserved that. I'm sorry, about before."

Haley nodded slightly at his apology, "But to answer your question, I, um, I spend time with my parents, I hang out with my best friend Brooke, and I watch Chris' shows."

"Chris is your boyfriend?" Nathan questioned.

"Yeah," Haley replied.

"A musician, hm?" Nathan began, "But you don't play with him?"

"Chris is…more of a solo artist," Haley murmured, not even realizing that she was rolling her eyes.

"So you do sing?" Nathan continued.

"I didn't say that," Haley quickly retorted.

"But you didn't say that you didn't sing either," Nathan said, "Interesting. Well, Haley James, that is an impressive list of hobbies."

"Well, I like to read too," Haley added.

"Oh, yeah, I've noticed that," Nathan answered, "My mother bought all those books on the shelf, thought I should take up the hobby. They've been sitting there, collecting dust for a year. Only, since you've started, it's clean as a whistle."

"It's always good to be learning, you know?" Haley blushed, "I'm sorry, I probably should've asked before touching your things. I…"

Nathan chuckled, "It's fine. It's good they get some use."

She sighed, "Thanks. But, you know, okay, I don't do much. I go to work, and I go home, and that's it."

"Wow," Nathan shook his head, "Your life is duller than mine."

* * *

The two were interrupted by Quentin walking in, smiling as he saw the slight smile on Nathan's face, "Sorry to interrupt. The game's about to start and I brought pizza."

"Of course you did," Haley smiled, "Well, I guess that's my cue to leave."

"You could stay, if you want," she heard Nathan say, as she had gone to get her bag from where it lay by the front door. She turned, looking at him slightly confused, "I mean, there's plenty of pizza."

"Well, I sort of had plans," Haley shifted her bag on her shoulder nervously. She was already fifteen minutes late to Chris' show at a local club.

"Like what, playing parcheesi with your parents or watching some sappy rom-com with your friend?" Nathan teased, "Come on Haley James. Live a little."

Biting her lip, she thought about the 180 Nathan was making, in regards to her, and his attitude. Two weeks ago, he'd been cold, and distant. Now, he was inviting her to watch a basketball game with him and his friend.

"I don't really know a lot about basketball," she made an excuse, though a large part of her was telling her to stay.

"Well, it's always good to be learning, right?" he looked at her, and goosebumps raised on her skin. She hoped he wouldn't notice.

"Okay," she smiled.

"Q, get the lady a beer," Nathan said, turning on the big screen TV in the living room.

Haley put her bag back by the door, pulling her phone out to send a text to Chris.

 **Sorry, something came up at work. Can't make it tonight.**

She'd never missed one of his shows in the three years they'd been dating, but something about their relationship just felt like one of convenience. His comment about Deb a few days before had made her uneasy, but it seemed like he was always making comments like that, little side jabs to her, and he didn't seem to care how it affected her. It seemed like he loved his guitar and performing more than her. But, she'd stayed with him.

She hadn't ever questioned their relationship until now. What Quentin had said to her about having a good feeling about her had stayed with her. For the first time in two weeks, she was looking forward to work the next day.

* * *

 **Hope y'all enjoyed the second chapter of my Naley version of "Me Before You!"**

 **I know I haven't updated Break Down My Walls or my songfic Say You Won't Let Go. I am working on those chapters now, but this idea came to me when I reread the book, and I couldn't stop thinking about Naley as Will and Lou from Me Before You!**

 **Let me know what you think! Please review and let me know what you'd like to see!**


	3. Chapter 3

_****I do not own these ideas. All credit goes to JoJo Moyes, the author of Me Before You, and the creators of One Tree Hill****_

* * *

8 am rolled around on Monday morning, and Haley entered the Scott's backyard, a slight skip in her step. She'd actually had fun on Friday, with Q and Nathan watching the game. No, she couldn't tell you who'd won, or a single player's name, hell, she didn't even remember the two teams who'd been playing. But it was nice, seeing Nathan so intently focused on something other than video games or staring outside (without actually setting foot outside).

It was eerily quiet as she entered the guest house, something she wasn't accustomed to. Usually, Nathan was already wide awake by the time she got there, ready with some fleeting remark about her wardrobe. Instead, he was nowhere to be found.

Hesitantly, she opened his bedroom door, her breath catching at the sight of him, fast asleep in his bed. His shoulder-length hair was tousled in his face, his scruffy beard growing longer by the day, and without thinking, she let her eyes wander further down, to his chest; abs chiseled so precisely, it looked like the gods had done it themselves.

"Enjoying the show?" his voice startled her, and her cheeks immediately flushed.

She managed to somewhat maintain her composure, "You wish. I was just making sure you were alive. Your mother would kill me if I let you die on my watch."

He sighed, "Eh, she'd probably be too busy to notice. It seems like you and Q are the only people I really see these days."

"Well, maybe we could go…" Haley began, before the look Nathan gave her shot her idea down almost instantaneously, "On second thought, why don't you take a shower, and I'll make breakfast?"

* * *

She had just finished cooking the French toast, and was now waiting for Nathan. Curiosity was beginning to get the best of her, and, looking over her shoulder to make sure he was still in the bathroom, she reached into her bag, pulling out her laptop and setting it on the kitchen island.

She hesitated before typing in Nathan's name into the search bar. Her mouth dropped when she saw that over 7 million results showed.

She clicked on the first result, a video posted online a little over a year ago of the NBA draft.

" _ **And here is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver with the first pick of the 2016 NBA Draft," an announcer said.**_

Haley watched as a bald man with glasses walked up to a podium in the crowded Barclay Center in New York City.

" _ **With the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Nathan Scott, Duke University," Silver said.**_

She saw the camera pan to a table where Nathan smiled, standing to hug his mother and father, and brother Lucas. He then placed a kiss on Peyton's cheek. She saw the joy on his face as he walked onto the stage, a purple Lakers hat adorning his head. He shook hands with the Commissioner, posing for a photo.

Haley closed the computer, wondering how he could've gone from that, to the man she'd met only weeks before. To be fair, he had been nicer the past couple of days, but his icy demeanor was still evident and apparent, at times.

"Thought I smelled something good," Nathan said, causing her to jump slightly.

"God, you've gotta stop doing that," she replied, "I need to tie a bell around your neck or something so I can hear you coming."

"What can I say?" Nathan smirked, "I'm light on my wheels."

Haley shook her head, smiling, "So, you're actually going to eat my food? You wouldn't rather have some cold pizza for breakfast?"

"Hey, cold pizza is always good," Nathan retorted, "But I guess too much of a good thing isn't so great."

Plating up his French toast, she set it in front of him at the table. And he just stared at it.

"Is something wrong?" she questioned, sitting down with her own plate, taking a bite to make sure it wasn't poisoned or something.

"What's in it?" he asked.

"It's brioche bread, with bananas and bacon," Haley replied, "We used to make it at the café. It was one of the most popular breakfasts."

"What, you were a cook and a waitress?" Nathan chuckled, taking his first bite. His eyes widened, "This is insane."

"I picked up a few tips and tricks from the cook," Haley shrugged, "Filled in when he needed the help. It's not a big deal."

"You are…full of surprises, Haley James," Nathan replied, and their eyes locked for a moment.

* * *

"Would it be okay if we went outside?" Nathan asked after they'd finished breakfast, causing Haley to whip her head around from where she'd been loading the dishwasher, "I think the fresh air might be good for me."

A few minutes later, Haley sat on a chair by the pool, Nathan sitting next to her.

"Nathan, can I ask you something?" Haley squirmed, adjusting her glasses.

He sighed, "I have a feeling you're going to anyway."

She took a deep breath, "What happened?"

"My mom didn't tell you?" he questioned.

Haley shook her head.

"It's her favorite story to tell," Nathan said.

"I just know there was an accident," Haley continued.

"A car," he answered.

"You were driving?" Haley asked.

Nathan stiffened in his wheelchair, and Haley thought that he was going to close himself off again, but he pursed his lips and continued, "No, the car hit me."

"I'm sorry, it's not really any of my business, I'm probably talking too much again," Haley tucked her dark hair behind her ear, "I'll let you have your fresh air."

She smiled, standing to go back inside, when Nathan called out, "No, stay."

She turned back around, biting her lip.

"Tell me a story Haley James, something good," he insisted, and Haley came back to sit on the pool chair.

"Um…well, okay, when I was little, my favorite book was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Haley smiled, reminiscing, "Have you read it?"

"Seen the movie," Nathan replied.

"A good adaptation, but not the same thing," Haley laughed, "Anyway, my dad would read it to me. He would act it out and do voices for all the different characters. I would sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the top of my lungs every day. I was obsessed with it all. I guess it was because I didn't have any siblings, and not really any friends in school, so these characters became like my friends? And I just realized how lame that actually sounds."

She covered her face with her hands, leaning down towards her lap.

"So, you do sing?" Nathan smirked, "Any chance I could get a private concert?"

"No. Way. In. Hell." Haley replied, uncovering her face.

"Oh come on, it would make the story so much better," Nathan laughed.

"I think, what you mean to say is, thank you Miss James, for attempting to entertain me," Haley retorted.

"Oh come on Hales," Nathan taunted, and Haley got goosebumps at the sound of him using the nickname. No one called her that, not even Chris, "Alright, well, how does this story end? What happened to this book you loved so much?"

"I loved it so much that it fell apart," Haley said, "Honestly, I haven't read it in years."

She looked to him, seeing how he was basically poking fun at her, "Oh, don't mock me, didn't you ever love anything that much?"

This is when his playful demeanor changed back to a more serious one, "Yeah I did."

She sighed nervously, "I saw the way your eyes lit up when you were watching the game. That was it for you, wasn't it?"

He stiffened, "Yeah, it was. But, it's gone."

"But, Q said that," Haley began to say, before Nathan gruffly cut her off.

"You know what Q and the dozen other doctors I've been to have said?" he angrily said, "I have a 75% chance of walking again, if I do the physical therapy. Which is fine, great, whatever. But my chances of playing basketball again? 40%. But I wouldn't be able to play the same. And if I injured my back again? I could be paralyzed. Forever. So forgive me if I'd rather not have to lose my dream all over again."

The two sat in icy silence for a few minutes, as Nathan cooled down, "I'm sorry. I do that. Lash out. And I shouldn't do that to you. It's not your fault."

"I think it's good for you to let it out," Haley replied, "It's nice to have a sounding board for everything you're feeling. It's not good to keep it bottled up."

* * *

 _ **A little while later…**_

"So honestly Haley James, what's with the poncho?" Nathan asked, in all seriousness.

"Really, that's the question you're going to ask?" Haley questioned, sighing, "Chris says it makes me look like Ugly Betty's long-lost sister."

"I think he was being nice," Nathan replied, still not backing down, "But, really…"

"Fine, if you must know, my mother made this for me. But, you've made your feelings for this particular item of clothing very clear, thank you very much," Haley crossed her arms, in a slightly defensive motion.

"You're welcome," he said, and for the first time in all the weeks she'd been working there, Nathan smiled. A real smile.

"Hey," Haley interjected, "Don't smile at me like that."

Nathan furrowed his brow, "Why not?"

"Because I don't know what it means," Haley answered honestly, "It's a far cry from the Ice Man act I've been getting for weeks."

"Touche," Nathan nodded. Changing the subject, he asked, "So where are you from?"

She looked around, "Here."

"Can't be from here," Nathan shook his head.

"Well why not?" Haley asked.

"Because, this town is the place people come back to when they're tired of actually living their lives," Nathan insisted, "Believe me, if I didn't have to be here, I wouldn't be. You should be out there, claiming the world as your own."

Haley retorted, "I like my life."

"You like everything," Nathan pointed out.

She began to stammer, before finally getting out, "I'm happy here."

"Well, you shouldn't be," Nathan huffed, waiting a few moments before speaking again, "What's keeping you here, Haley James?"

* * *

He noticed that she went rigid when he asked this question, so he quickly followed it with, "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"No, it's okay," Haley tried to assure him, tears beginning to brim in her eyes, "I did leave. I um, had a full ride at Stanford. I was there for a year. It was amazing. I loved the city, and the people, and the school."

"Then what made you come back, if you were happy there?" Nathan hesitantly asked.

She bit her lip, "My dad called me, right after I got out of my last final of the spring term. He said that my mom hadn't been feeling well, so she'd gone to the doctor and um, she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer."

Nathan, ever the stone-cold person who hardly ever showed genuine emotion, reached to place his hand on hers, "Haley, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"And you know, that was bad, one of the worst days of my life," Haley kept going, tears now streaming down her face, "But a few days later, as I'm packing my stuff to go home, I get another phone call, from my dad, saying that he'd been laid off from his job. That's when I knew. I had to come home, to be with them, to help them as much as I could."

"Wow," he replied, not really knowing what else he should say, "So is your mom…?"

"She's still alive, by some miracle of God," Haley answered, "She had surgery to remove part of her stomach and her pancreas, and then she did chemo and radiation for a year and a half. She's been in remission for almost a year."

"That's good, right?" he questioned.

"For now, yeah, but there's an 85% chance of it coming back," Haley continued, "So it's like we're waiting for the bomb to explode, you know? And my dad, he's been working odd jobs here and there, seasonal stuff, substitute teaching, whatever he can get, but the economy's awful. Most of what I make goes towards my mom's medical bills, and…Oh god, why am I telling you all of this? You're right, I talk way too much. It's just…I don't really have anyone to talk to about it, besides Brooke, but she just doesn't get it."

"No, I'm glad you told me," he assured her, "Like you said, it's not good to keep all this stuff bottled in. And I know I'm the biggest hypocrite jackass in the world for saying that, but I know it's true. It's hard for me to talk about the accident and my feelings and all that crap, but…I don't know, when I'm around you, I feel like I can tell you anything, and you'll listen, without judgement, you know? At least, not a lot of it."

"You can tell me anything, Nathan, when you want to," Haley replied, wiping the tears from her eyes, "And I don't want to probe around, making you expose your life to me, but….you know what I see when I look at you?"

"Well, I know I'm looking really sexy right now," Nathan smirked, "Doesn't the metal on this wheelchair, just, bring out my eyes?"

"Haha, very funny," Haley smiled, "But really…I see someone who's had a lot of shitty things happen to them, and they're letting that stop them from living."

"Hey, I'm alive," Nathan pointed out, "And I'm living my life."

"Coming outside for the first time in weeks? Giving up on your physical therapy? And how long has it been since you've actually left this house, besides going to doctors' appointments, hmmm?" Haley raised her eyebrows, and when he didn't answer, she continued, "That's what I thought."

"Well, I guess we're both just giant hypocrites then, huh?" Nathan replied.

She sighed, "I guess so."

"You only get one life, Haley James," Nathan expounded, "And it's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible."

"You should take your own advice sometimes," she suggested, nudging his shoulder with her own.

"So should you," he replied confidently, before looking at her seriously, "Thanks for trusting me to uh, tell me about your mom. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about being here. I'm sort of glad you are."

"Oh really?" she chuckled.

"Yeah, and I'll let you keep working here on one condition," he stated.

Haley rolled her eyes, "And that would be?"

"You let me burn that poncho," he smiled wickedly, a glint in his eyes Haley had never seen before.

* * *

 _ **A few weeks later…**_

"Babe, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever," Chris whined, as Haley entered his apartment, his arms wrapping around her waist, his mouth moving to kiss her neck.

"Chris, come on," she insisted, "It's been a week. It's not like I moved to another country or something."

"You're spending all your time with Mr. Richie Rich," he snapped, moving away from her, "How is that supposed to make me feel, hmm? My girlfriend spends all her time with some other guy."

"You know why I'm doing this job, Chris," Haley snapped back, "I need the money."

He narrowed his eyes, picking up his guitar, "Well, did you ever think that I might need you? All the guys have their girls at the show, and then there's me, looking like a complete idiot all alone."

"So that's all I am to you, then? A groupie?" Haley retorted, crossing her arms.

Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Babe, I'm sorry. You're not a groupie. It's just, I play better when you're there, you know? And I'm sorry for getting mad. It's just, getting ready for this tour is really stressing me out and I miss my girlfriend."

Haley took a deep breath. She'd always relented when it came to Chris. He was quick to make her feel bad, to get angry at her, but was also quick to apologize. And she knew he was stressed about the tour. And she did feel a little bad about not spending more time with him. Quite honestly, she hadn't really realized how much time she did spend with Nathan. All day, almost every day. And it didn't feel like work to her, anymore. They talked, and he even smiled once or twice a day now. He'd come so far in the month she'd been working there. It was hard to believe.

"Forgive me?" Chris gave her the sad puppy face he always did, inching closer to her and wrapping his arms around her waist again.

This past month, Haley had begun to doubt her relationship with Chris for the first time. His tour was in a few months, and he expected her to go with him. That had always been the plan. She'd always been there for him, supporting his dreams. But now, things were starting to feel different. Suddenly, she felt, unsure.

* * *

Sleep was evading Nathan Scott that night. Instead, he wheeled himself into the living room, trying to find his DVD of Hoosiers. He heard a sickening crunch of plastic, and looked down to see a CD case under the wheel of his wheelchair. Reaching to pick it up, his stomach lurched slightly when he saw that it was The Cure CD Peyton had given him. Even in the day and age of iTunes and Youtube, she insisted that records and CDs were classic, and the only way to listen to music. She'd tried to get him to like that stupid band for years. He thought he'd gotten rid of every trace of her in this place, besides that picture of her in his room that he'd broken. He thought back to the night when things had exploded.

 ****FLASHBACK****

" _ **Knock, knock," Nathan heard, as he lay in bed, looking up to see his girlfriend standing in the doorway. He didn't say anything.**_

" _ **Wow, that's a warm welcome for someone who just spent six and a half hours on a plane to come see you," Peyton said, trying her best to be normal, "I wanted to surprise you."**_

 _ **It had been three months since the accident, three months since the day that had ruined his entire life. She'd been there for two weeks after it'd happened, but had to return to LA for her job. Since then, she'd flown to North Carolina as much as she could, and would call and text him often. However, him answering the phone was getting less and less frequent and his replies were getting shorter, if not nonexistent.**_

" _ **Cool," Nathan replied shortly.**_

 _ **She sat on the edge of his bed, setting a CD down by his hand, "I brought you this. It's the CD we listened to when we went on that road trip after graduation, remember?"**_

 _ **Silence. Stone cold silence.**_

 _ **Peyton bit her lip, "Nathan, talk to me. It's been months, and I've come here and you hardly say a word."**_

" _ **What do you want me to say, Peyton?" Nathan shouted, "Honestly, why are you even here? I know you feel bad for your cripple boyfriend, but I don't want your sympathy."**_

 _ **Peyton had held in her feelings for too long, trying to be there for him, to be supportive and understanding of his mood swings and silence. But keeping everything bottled in was not working for her.**_

" _ **Nathan, what happened was terrible. You don't know how horrible I feel about it. But I'm trying to make this work, because I love you, dammit," Peyton cursed.**_

" _ **You don't get it, do you?" he yelled back at her, "I used to be somebody, Peyton. Do you understand that? Do you understand what that means? I used to be Nathan Scott, and I was great. I was about to play in my first NBA game. And now I can't walk. And I'm nothing. And I have nothing."**_

 _ **Peyton couldn't take it anymore, "You have nothing? You have parents who love you and who have been there for you through this whole thing. Lucas and I have both been flying back and forth for months to be here with you. I have people calling me, reporters and fans. I don't know how the hell they got my number, but they're asking me how you are, how your recovery is going. And I don't have a damn thing to tell them, Nathan. You have got to figure out who you're going to be in all this. This version of you does not work for me. I can't live like this."**_

" _ **I'm not asking you to," he replied coldly.**_

" _ **You're going to flush our relationship down the toilet, and for what? Your pride?" Peyton asked.**_

" _ **Just go to LA, Peyton," Nathan said, emotionless, almost robotic, "And don't come back."**_

 _ ****END FLASHBACK****_

* * *

Haley had gone home that night, opting not to stay with Chris, much to his disappointment. She lay in bed, unable to fall asleep, her mind racing.

She pulled out her phone and googled Nathan's name again, her fingers floating over the keys, spelling his name with ease. She found herself clicking on what appeared to be a news video about the accident from the thumbnail.

 _ **One year ago…**_

 _ **This is Traci Teagan, live from downtown Los Angeles. Behind me is the remnants of a car accident that happened only thirty minutes ago. Recently drafted LA Laker, former Duke basketball star Nathan Scott, was set to start in his first game of his professional career when he reportedly crossed this street near his downtown loft earlier this morning. A driver then hydroplaned from the heavy rain and lost control of their vehicle, striking Scott. Witnesses say he flew into the air, and lay on the ground unresponsive. We will keep you updated as we learn more.**_

She kept digging deeper and deeper on the web, reading every article she could find about Nathan and the accident. He'd come home to rehab with his family, Dan and Deb had told the press in a statement, and they were optimistic about his recovery. That was months ago. They hadn't said anything since then, at least not that Haley could find. As far as the world was concerned, Nathan Scott had dropped off the face of the Earth.

Haley opened her Instagram account, finding his in seconds. He had a million followers, a number that made her jaw drop, and made her 250 look completely miniscule. His last post, she noticed, had been about a week before the accident. It showed him and Lucas, both clad in Laker apparel, standing outside the Staples Center, smiling as wide as can be. She knew he was upset about Lucas and Peyton, and he sure as hell had a reason to be. She'd gathered from her time with the Scott's that, although the brothers hadn't been close when they were younger, they'd grown to become best friends. She didn't know if there was any coming back from a blow like this for them.

She was snapped out of her thoughts (and slight stalking) by her phone buzzing, signaling a text message from Nathan, of all people. She saw the time, 2 am, and panicked slightly as she opened the message.

 _ **Nathan: Hey, look. They even have books about basketball.**_

Her phone buzzed again as she saw a photo of Nathan smirking, a book by some guy named John Wooden in his hand.

 _ **Haley: Imagine that.**_

She hit the send button, but then typed another message.

Nathan sat in his chair in the living room, phone in hand as he was surprised to get a response from Haley so quickly.

He chuckled when he read what she'd written: _**So are you bringing back the mullet or what? You're starting to look like a homeless Billy Ray Cyrus :P**_

* * *

 **Hope y'all enjoyed the third chapter of my Naley version of "Me Before You!"**

 **I know I haven't updated Break Down My Walls or my songfic Say You Won't Let Go. I am working on those chapters now, but this idea came to me when I reread the book, and I couldn't stop thinking about Naley as Will and Lou from Me Before You!**

 **Let me know what you think! Please review and let me know what you'd like to see!**


	4. Chapter 4

_****I do not own these ideas. All credit goes to JoJo Moyes, the author of Me Before You, and the creators of One Tree Hill****_

* * *

Haley'd gotten a call from Deb that morning, saying she didn't need to come in until 11 that day. Surprised, she had breakfast with her parents for the first time in a month, and spent the rest of her morning watering the garden and watching Jeopardy with her mother, before driving the all-too-familiar way to the Scott's.

As she walked into the backyard, she saw Q leaning against the porch railing, his arms crossed.

"Bad day for him?" she sighed. She'd really grown to like Nice Nathan, and hadn't wanted the Ice Man to come back so soon.

"What did you do to him?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"What do you mean?" she replied, now very confused.

"See for yourself," he gestured his head towards the door, and Haley hesitantly opened it.

Her mouth opened in disbelief when she saw Nathan sitting on the couch, watching TV. Gone was his beard, his face now looked smooth. And his hair had been cut short, but still long enough to grab onto. Haley shook her head at that inappropriate thought, hearing Q come in behind her.

"Well, you certainly clean up nice," she smiled.

"I was starting to like the mountain man look," Q laughed.

"Just wanted a change," Nathan replied, "I think I was starting to look a little like a homeless Billy Ray Cyrus, right Hales?"

She giggled, "Just a little. So, what was with the morning off? Is everything okay?"

Nathan looked at her, and then looked at Q, his signature smirk on his face.

"Yeah, you know, Nate and I just had some things to take care of," Q tried to brush it off, but Haley wasn't letting it go that easily.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah, okay James, I started PT again," Nathan shook his head, "It's not a big deal. I'm going to walk again. End of story."

"Whatever you say," Haley smiled.

* * *

 _ **A month later…**_

Haley and Nathan sat out at a picnic table in the backyard, enjoying the warm early July air.

"So, Chris wants to meet you," she hesitantly said, as the two munched on some cookies Haley had baked.

"Music Man? Why?" Nathan asked.

Haley rolled her eyes, "I think he wants to know who I've been spending all my time with. He's playing a show at TRIC tonight at 10, but don't worry, I said you wouldn't want to go."

"Why?"

"Because you haven't left this house since I've been here," Haley pointed out, adding, "And you hate strangers. Thought it was pretty obvious."

Nathan shrugged, "I'll go, if you want me to."

"You don't have to, Nathan," Haley assured him.

"Aren't you the one who said it's time I start living my life, Haley James?" Nathan pointed out, "And a normal 22-year-old goes to clubs and drinks and has a good time."

"Okay then," she bit her lip, "I'll come by and get you tonight."

* * *

"I can't believe you finally took me up on my offer to give you a makeover," Brooke smiled later that day.

"I just want to look nice for Chris' show, Brooke, that's all," Haley sternly said, hoping her friend didn't overdo it.

"Oh, and this wouldn't have anything to do with Hottie McScottie coming with you, would it?" Brooke raised her eyebrows, as she sifted through her wardrobe looking for something for Haley to wear.

Haley sighed, "His name is Nathan, and we are just friends."

"Whatever you say," Brooke shook her head, "I'm just saying, if I wasn't happily with Julian, I would definitely go for him."

"Oh, don't I know it," Haley replied, adjusting her glasses, before Brooke reached and took them off her face, "Woah, Brooke?"

"I know for a fact you have contacts, Haley," she said, "It's time to show the world that beautiful face."

Brooke finally pulled an emerald green, silk V-neck dress out of her closet and Haley couldn't help but gasp, slightly reassured by Brooke's "trust me" last words.

"Woah," Q said, as he saw Haley walk through the door of the guest house later, "Ka-Pow."

Nathan turned around in his wheelchair, jaw dropping at the sight of Haley in his doorway. She wasn't wearing her glasses and her hair was not in its usual ponytail, but curled, hanging loosely to her shoulders.

"You look…." Nathan stammered slightly, "Great."

"Thanks," Haley smiled, feeling a blush creep to her cheeks, "We should get going. My friend Brooke and her boyfriend are going to meet us there."

* * *

A few minutes later, the two entered TRIC, the only night club in Tree Hill. Stepping off the elevator that had gotten them to the second floor of the old warehouse the club was in, Haley quickly saw Brooke seated at the bar, Julian next to her.

"Brooke, this is Nathan, Nathan this is my best friend Brooke," Haley introduced, "And her boyfriend Julian."

"It's nice to meet you both," Nathan said, "Haley's told me a lot about you."

The group heard the owner of the club announce Chris' performance, and they made their way to the front.

Chris performed his set, and Nathan had to admit, the guy could sing. He watched as Haley looked completely spellbound by the whole thing. He put his hand on her arm, and she leaned down to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked loudly, trying to be heard over the music.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nathan replied loudly, "I was just wishing that was you up there."

At that moment, she hadn't realized how close their faces were. Remembering where they were, she quickly stood back up, but looked at him, a small smile creeping onto her face.

After two encores, he finally came off stage, picking Haley up and spinning her around, before putting her down and kissing her. Haley pulled away quickly, looking very embarrassed. He'd never done this at a show before; he'd never treated her like this before, not since they'd first gotten together three years ago. All too soon, realization flooded into Haley's mind: he was doing this to spite Nathan, somehow, or show off or something.

"Good job," Haley managed to smile.

"Thanks babe," Chris replied, his expression changing as he noticed who else was there, "You must be Nathan."

Chris finally acknowledged Nathan's existence, shaking his hand, "Nice to meet you."

"Can I get you a drink, babe?" Chris asked.

"No, not tonight," Haley shook her head, "I'm driving Nathan home."

"Buzzkill," Chris rolled his eyes, "Well, I'm going to get a drink. Thanks for coming, I guess."

Brooke, ever sneaky, pulled Julian away, leaving Haley and Nathan alone.

"I'm sorry about him, he's not usually…actually, he is usually like that," Haley sighed, "He must've already had a few tonight."

Nathan nodded, as he looked around the room. He felt a weight in the pit of his stomach as he saw peoples' eyes on him. He felt like, ever since he'd gotten here, that everyone was staring at him, and he was right: they were. Back before the accident, he'd loved being the center of attention, in fact, he craved the spotlight. Now, though, for the first time in his life, he wished he was invisible.

He was brought back to reality when Haley placed her hand on his shoulder, "Hey, let them stare. How's your PT going? You and Q are pretty secretive about that you know."

"It's good," Nathan nodded, "I, uh, took a few steps yesterday."

"What?" Haley smiled excitedly, "Nathan, that's amazing."

"Woah, Hales, let's wait to celebrate until I'm actually walking," Nathan laughed.

"Well, I think even the small victories are worth celebrating," Haley replied, her smile widening as she leaned down to give him a hug, turning to say something to him that only he would be able to hear, "I'm really proud of you."

* * *

"What the hell?!" Chris shouted, loud enough to carry over the music that was playing.

Haley jolted, her eyes widening as Chris, before she could really comprehend what was happening, had punched Nathan in the face, sending his wheelchair rolling backwards.

"You think I won't fight you because you're a cripple?" Chris taunted, "You think I can't see that you're trying to steal my girl?"

She saw the anger flare in Nathan's eyes, hand wiping the trickling blood from his brow, as he rolled himself back over to Chris, "You need to back off, man. Nothing's going on."

Chris rolled his eyes, throwing his beer bottle on the ground, the glass shattering. People from all over the club turned to see what was going on, as Chris walked right up to Nathan, leaning so they were face to face. "You think I'm blind? I watched you two making eyes at each other all night. She's mine, Richie Rich. Why would she be with a washed-up, has been like you, when she could be with…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Nathan threw a massive right hook, sending Chris staggering backwards. He didn't know what came over him. His mind was racing.

Two very large bouncers stepped in between the two, "Alright Punchy and Drunky, party's over."

"Chris," Haley called out, walking towards him as a crowd had begun to form around them, "What were you thinking?"

He sneered, "Oh, don't act all innocent. I know I'm right. What do you think?"

"You want to know what I think?" she replied, shaking slightly as she took a deep breath, "I think you're drunk and you need to go home, and sleep this off."

He scoffed, as the bouncer took his arm, pulling him away.

"Chris!" Haley called out, and the bouncer stopped momentarily as she got close to Chris' face, "For the record, you don't own me. I'm not a piece of property."

* * *

"So, how did living your life feel?" Haley asked, as they sat on the couch, Nathan holding a bag of frozen peas to his face.

"It felt okay," Nathan replied, "Could've gone without the black eye, but…"

"I'm sorry," she shook her head, "I don't know what got into him."

"Hales, it's okay," he assured her, "It's not like this was my first bar fight. I'm just lucky I've kept up with my bench press."

A few moments of slightly uncomfortable silence passed between the two. Haley was still shaken up by what had happened.

"I'm sorry I hit him," Nathan apologized, "I should've just left it, but he got in my face, and he called me a has-been and I snapped."

She sighed, "Just please don't make a habit of punching people, alright? I really don't want to have to explain to your mother why she has to bail you out of jail in the middle of the night."

"Oh, you wouldn't bail me out of jail?" Nathan teased.

Haley shook her head, "I'm not going to waste my money on you, Scott."

He raised his eyebrows, "Really? So, if I was in some bachelor auction, you're saying you wouldn't bid on me?"

She rolled her eyes, "You wish."

Haley stood up, reaching for the icy bag of frozen veggies that was covering his eye. She lifted it, gasping when she saw the purple and red bruise beginning to form, his eye already swollen.

"You're lucky you don't need stiches," she said, wiping the dried blood off his face with a towel.

"Yeah, I guess," Nathan replied.

Haley noticed that Nathan had now gone quiet and was staring at her. It made her self-conscious, but she was unable to look away once their eyes had met.

She'd always known he was good-looking. Hell, Brooke told her five times a day how lucky she was to be spending so much time with Nathan Scott, Sex God. But being this close to him, she couldn't help but notice how muscular his shoulders were, his chiseled physique not hidden under his tight grey t-shirt. She noticed a light scar next to his uninjured eye, and for a second, she wondered if that had happened in a fight as well.

Her heart raced as she felt his warm breath on her skin. Their faces were mere inches apart, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from his icy blues, that were fixed on her. For a moment, she felt herself leaning in closer to him. And then, her brain woke up and reminded her where she was, who she was about to kiss, and that she still had a boyfriend. She quickly pulled away, now very flustered.

Haley managed a small smile, stammering about something incomprehensible before turning to leave.

"Haley."

She stopped and turned back at the sound of Nathan's voice, "For the record, you did look great tonight. But you looked great the other way too."

She bit her lip, feeling herself blush yet again at the words of Nathan Scott, and the moment they'd just had, "Thanks. I'll….I'll see you later."

* * *

Getting home, she shut her bedroom door quietly, not wanting to wake her parents. She looked at her phone to see five missed calls from Brooke, and ten from Chris. Sighing, she dialed a familiar number.

"Alright, you owe me a huge explanation," she heard the voice on the other end of the phone say.

"Chris was drunk, Brooke, and he got in Nathan's face," Haley replied, "You saw the whole thing."

"Yeah, I did, and I also saw you and Nathan," Brooke retorted, "Haley, come on. Anyone with two eyes and a brain can see that you guys have something there."

"We're friends, Brooke," Haley shook her head, "I work for him. It can't be anything more than that."

"I want to believe you, I really do," Brooke said, "But I don't think you're telling the truth."

Haley's brow furrowed, "I am telling the truth, Brooke. Nothing is going on."

"Whatever you say," Brooke sighed deeply, "Look, I love you girl, and I want you to be happy, more than anything. You know how I feel about Chris. And I'm not just saying all of this because Nathan is gorgeous…"

Haley laughed when she heard Julian in the background "Hey!"

"Not as gorgeous as you, baby, of course," Brooke tried to explain, "Regardless, if you like him, you should go for it."

* * *

The next day, Haley sat in a booth at Tree Hill Café, a new place that had started up to replace Karen's. She'd called Chris, who was recovering from a massive hangover, and told him they needed to talk, and she wanted to do it in a public place, where she was less likely to let him say whatever he wanted and forgive him without a fight.

"I just don't like the guy Haley, is that a crime?" Chris said, as the two sat, coffee in hand.

"Chris, not liking someone doesn't give you the reason to fight them," Haley said.

"He's a prick," Chris rolled his eyes, "Come on Haley, can't you see through his act? He's been after you since the minute you started working there."

"First of all, you don't know him, so you don't get to call him that. And second, when did you become such an ass?" Haley snapped.

"Woah, lower your voice, people are looking," Chris whispered, rubbing his temples, "And I have a killer headache."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot, you were always an ass," Haley huffed, crossing her arms.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, "It's kinda hot."

"I'm standing up for myself for the first time, Chris," she replied, "And for my friend."

"This is ridiculous, Haley," he retorted, "You're pissed at me because I got mad that some other guy was hitting on you, in front of me? How is that fair?"

"You don't want to start a talk with me about what's fair, Chris," Haley warned.

The two sat for a few minutes, neither saying a word before Haley finally broke the silence, "I'm performing at open mic night at TRIC next week. I talked to Jake this morning."

Jake Jagielski oversaw booking talent for the club, and Haley had babysat his daughter Jenny before in the past. After walking in on her singing as Karen's Café was closing one night, he'd been begging her to sing at TRIC ever since, and she'd declined each time, because Chris hadn't wanted her to and he'd told her she needed more practice, more refinement, more polish, more training. But now, she was taking charge.

"You?" Chris nearly choked on his coffee, "Babe, you're an okay singer, but I don't think you're ready for a crowd like that."

The pain of his words stung, as she reeled back. Back when they'd first started dating, she and Chris had sung together, just messing around. But, when he'd gotten the opportunity to perform at local venues around the state, he took it solo, telling her that this was something he needed to do by himself, that it was his dream that he'd had forever. He hadn't asked her, or apologized, or considered her feelings in it at all. And she'd gone along with it, not wanting to lose what she thought was a good relationship with a good, ambitious guy.

"Well, I'm going to do it," Haley stated, "But, you know what I'm not going to do? Go on the tour with you."

"What? You're joking right?" Chris chuckled, before realizing that she was serious.

Haley took a deep breath. After three years of allowing herself to play second fiddle, for her feelings to not matter, she finally realized that Chris' #1 would always be Chris. For too long, she'd stayed with him because she thought it was what she was supposed to do. He was the only guy who had ever shown interest in her. It was easy. But now, she had a newfound confidence, still raw and unpolished, but enough there to know what she needed to do to be happy.

"Chris, I think, deep down, under all the macho bravado act you put on, you're a good person, and I'm grateful for our time together, because it's taught me a lot about myself," Haley said, "But I can't do this anymore."

"Haley, you can't break up with Chris Keller," he said, looking at her with that sad puppy look again, "I need you babe.

She shook her head, and a single tear ran down her cheek.

"No, you don't. You never did," she said, "Chris, I can't sit backseat in someone else's life anymore. I need to start living my own."

He narrowed his eyes, his demeanor changing from sad and apologetic, to angry and defensive in the blink of an eye.

"This is about Nathan, isn't it?"

Haley bit her lip, trying to hold in the rage that was building inside her, "No, Chris. This is about me. For the first time in my life, I'm doing something, for myself."

* * *

"What's up, Haley James?" Nathan asked, as the two sat in the guesthouse a few days later, "You haven't really said much."

"I'm fine," she nodded, "I'm just reading."

A few more moments passed, but Haley could still feel Nathan's eyes staring at her.

"You're not reading," he continued, and Haley sighed as she realized he was not going to let this go very easily.

"And how would you know that?" she asked.

He smirked, "Because you've been staring at the same page for twenty minutes. And I know you can read A LOT faster than that. What's going on? Is this about the other night?"

The fact that she'd almost kissed Nathan Scott flashed through her mind. She still could not believe that that happened, or, almost happened. Any thoughts that she had had that night had been pushed to the back of her mind, at least, she'd tried to do that. He was Nathan Scott: rich and handsome. And she was Haley James: poor and mousy. The fact that she'd misread the situation and let her heart get the best of her was something she was trying to avoid now at all costs.

"No, not really," she shook her head, running a hand through her dark hair, "I, uh, I…broke up with Chris a couple days ago."

Haley wasn't expecting to see the look of surprise that came onto his face. She could tell that he wasn't sure of what to say, or if he even should say anything.

"Are…Are…you okay?" he stammered, knowing that he sounded like a complete blithering idiot.

She nodded.

"You know, I thought that I wouldn't be…but, honestly, I just feel…" she managed a small smile, as she searched for the right word, "Better. Like this huge weight was lifted off my shoulders or something. I know, that probably sounds weird."

"Not at all," Nathan replied softly.

Haley put down her book and stood up, wanting to change the subject and wanting to get Nathan out of the house. She still felt horrible about what had happened at TRIC, and she desperately wanted to make it up to him somehow.

"So, I was thinking we could try the whole, going out, thing again," Haley began, and then realizing what she'd said, she began to babble, "I mean, going outside, you know, somewhere other than here. Uh, we could go see a movie, or we could go to the park or…"

Nathan laughed. He found it funny, and maybe even cute, how nervous Haley got, and how she would just start to ramble and not make any sense. Being friends with Haley was new to him entirely. Before, women were falling all over him, even when he was with Peyton. He didn't even have to try, but his flirting and macho bravado were appreciated by the ladies. Haley James, though, was a completely different story. He had no idea what he was doing with her. Hell, they'd almost kissed, and if he was being honest, he'd wanted to. There was something about this girl, he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She was different, in a good way. The best way.

"Haley," he finally got her to stop, "This came in the mail today."

She'd brought in the mail hours earlier, but hadn't gone through it, obviously, that was none of her business. Her eyes traveled, and there she saw, open on the table, next to a few magazines and several junk mail envelopes, a wedding invitation, announcing the impending marriage of Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer to Lucas Eugene Scott, August 31st.

Haley wasn't sure what she was supposed to say in this situation. She knew that Peyton (and Lucas) were sore subjects to bring up around Nathan, so she hadn't. Her mind just took her back to that day when she'd met the two, and they'd come to tell Nathan that they were engaged. Seeing his face, and how upset it made him, tugged at her heartstrings, then, and even now.

"Can I take you somewhere?" Nathan asked, breaking the silence.

* * *

"Beautiful view," Haley said, as she sat at a small wooden table, tucked in a small corner on the boardwalk alongside the river, "I didn't even know this place existed."

"Yeah, no one ever comes here," Nathan replied, "Off the beaten path, you know? I used to come here a lot, to clear my head. Before…..everything."

She sighed, looking out onto the water. The sun was just beginning to set, the sky turning a light pink color, casting a shine onto the rippling river. Since she'd come here, she hadn't really explored the town, hadn't had the time.

"I think that this would still be my favorite spot," she smiled, "It's quiet, and calm, and peaceful."

He scoffed, "That's because you've hardly been anywhere."

"Oh really?" she questioned, "So where's better than this then, hmm?"

She half-expected him to say Los Angeles. She'd lived in California herself, so she knew that the hustle and bustle of the big city seemed nice and exciting, but it just hadn't been for her. She liked the idea of a small town, where everyone knew everyone, and traffic jams were caused by ducks crossing the road.

He looked at her, really looked at her. Here was a girl who didn't treat him differently because of a) who he'd been, and b) who he was now. She treated him like a person, and she definitely didn't take any of his BS. She spoke her mind, and the fact that she had broken up with Chris just showed him that she was gaining confidence, and control over her life.

"I thought I knew," Nathan replied, "But I'm starting to think that here isn't so bad after all."

A blush rose to her cheeks, as their eyes locked for just a moment. God, the way he looked at her sometimes. Just friends, she thought. We're just friends.

"I'm going to the wedding," he said, moving his gaze from her to the water.

"Really?" Haley was somewhat shocked. Sure, it was his brother's wedding, but with the circumstances surrounding everything, she hadn't thought he would actually be in attendance.

He turned in his chair to look at her once more, causing a shiver to run down her spine, even though it was 85 degrees outside, "Will you go with me?"

"If you want me to," Haley replied.

"I do," he said with a confident smile, causing Haley to giggle at the words, and their relation to the wedding.

"So, what about you, Haley James?" he asked, "Now that Music Man's out of the picture, what's next for you in this new life of yours?"

She took a deep breath. Thinking about the performance she had next week made her feel physically sick. She'd never performed in front of a crowd before, and the mere thought of all those eyes on her petrified her to her core. Sure, she had a little confidence now that she'd broken things off with Chris, but she wasn't entirely sure if it was enough to go through with singing at TRIC.

"I, uh, I decided to sing at open mic night at TRIC next week," she managed to finally stammer after a few moments of awkward silence.

Now Nathan's face was the one full of shock, "Hales, that's great. You're going to be amazing."

She bit her lip, "You've never even heard me sing, Scott. I could sound like a dying cat."

He looked at her, his shock now turned to a look of care and seriousness, "That's impossible."

* * *

Haley got home, and she was surprised to almost run her mother over in the doorway, as she looked in the mirror hanging on the wall.

"God, mom, you scared me," she said, admiring her mother's outfit, a black dress and a pearl necklace.

"Haley Bob, is the necklace too much?" her mother asked, toying with it, "Heck, I don't care. We're celebrating!"

Haley looked confused. Sure, her parents were, unconventional, to say the least, but it had been a rough few years, and she hadn't seen her mother this excited in at least that much time.

Her father walked into the room, dressed in a suit, "I got a job!"

Haley's jaw dropped, unable to hold her smile in, wrapping her arms around her father's neck, "Dad! That's so great!"

"You are looking at the new head of the maintenance department for Scott Enterprises," Jimmy James continued, "Dan Scott called me himself this morning. I start tomorrow."

"Isn't it wonderful Haley?" Lydia smiled, "And it's really good money. And he gets his own van!"

"I'm taking your mother to Vincenzo's for dinner, honey," her father said, as the two headed out the door, "Don't wait up!"

* * *

At the mention of Scott Enterprises, and Dan Scott, Haley hadn't heard the rest of anything her parents had said. She very clearly recalled her conversation with Nathan about her mother's illness and her father losing his job, but that had been a month ago. How could he have remembered that? Was it a coincidence?

She pulled out her phone, dialing his number.

"Haley James," she heard him say, "Just couldn't get enough of me, huh?"

"Did you tell your father to give my dad a job?" she asked right off the bat.

A moment of silence gave her her answer, "I thought you would be happy."

She was happy, ecstatic, actually. Her father hadn't had a full-time job in over two years, and she knew it killed him to not be able to fully support his family.

"No, I am, really, it's just…I feel a little weird about it, you know?" she suggested.

"Well don't," Nathan replied, "Your dad needed a job, mine needed someone with experience to manage the maintenance for the businesses he owns in town. It was a no-brainer. I just steered him in the right direction, Hales. It's not a big deal."

Tears sprung to her eyes. This man that she'd known for about two months had done more for her than Chris ever had in three years. He understood how important her family was to her, and he'd never even met them. He made her feel like she was actually something, and she couldn't even really explain it. Brooke had certainly tried to get every detail of Haley's days with Nathan out of her, and she'd relented to disclosing almost everything, except that almost-kiss.

"Thank you."

"And, it means…" Nathan started to say, but then stopped abruptly.

Haley took her phone away from her ear, looking to see if they'd lost their connection or if he'd hung up, something to explain the sudden silence, but the call time was still ticking onward.

"It means what?" she asked, now intrigued slightly.

She heard him sigh on the other end of the phone. He was debating whether or not to say what he was about to. He didn't want to overstep, but he really felt like she needed to hear this.

"It means that one day, you can go off and spread your wings, without having to worry about everyone else," Nathan said sincerely.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the fourth chapter of my Naley version of "Me Before You!"**

 **I've really enjoyed reading through your reviews and what y'all think about how the story is going so far! Good, positive reviews help give me the motivation to keep writing, so thank you SOOO much for all the support and encouragement!**

 **Let me know what you think about this chapter! Please review and let me know what you'd like to see happen in future chapters, as well!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**I'm sure y'all are sick of hearing me say it, but I am so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up! I've been working like crazy in my full-time job, and selling paintings in my Etsy shop, to save money for my trip to the One Tree Hill convention in March!**_

 _ **This chapter is a little shorter, but I will have another one up soon! Enjoy!**_

* * *

"So…my parents are having this birthday dinner for me on Friday," Haley nervously said, as Nathan lifted weights in his home gym, "My mom said that if I didn't invite you, she would come over here and do it herself."

She sat on the bench press, trying desperately hard to not stare at his biceps. They had not talked about the almost-kiss that had happened the week before, and it still seemed like they were tiptoeing around each other. Brooke's words still echoed in her mind, that if she liked Nathan, to go for it. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't sure how she felt about Nathan.

Her head was telling her that she'd just gotten out of a relationship, she still didn't really know him, and any sort of relationship could be extremely unprofessional, and she needed this job.

But her heart was going the complete opposite way. Every time she was around him, her heart would beat just a little faster, and she found herself smiling and blushing almost 24/7. Her parents, too, had noticed a difference in her these past few months, and they weren't shy about pointing it out.

Nathan chuckled, setting his weights down, "I get nervous when a girl asks me to meet her parents."

"Ha…ha," Haley replied nervously, feeling the color creeping onto her cheeks, hurrying to change the subject, "They just want to thank you for everything you've done. It'll be low-key, just my parents and Brooke."

Haley paused, sighing, "Now that I say that out loud, it might not be as low-key as I thought. It actually might be more of a circus slash interrogation. So, you totally don't have to come, it's not a big deal. Forget I said anything."

"It's your birthday, Hales," Nathan smirked, "I'll be there, interrogation or not. After all, you are coming to the wedding with me. I kind of owe you."

She nodded, "Yeah, you kind of do."

A moment of silence passed, and Haley finally allowed herself to look at him. Sweat was dripping from his brow, his muscles bulging, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

Nathan knew that she was watching him. He'd, at first, found it amusing that she was avoiding watching him, looking at anything in the room except him, but now, he began to feel a little self-conscious.

Here was this girl, incredibly beautiful and kind and caring, and he found himself wanting to be around her all the time. They'd almost kissed last week, and sure, they could blame it on the heat of the moment or whatever, but if he was being honest, he was developing feelings for her, as more than a friend. But, he found himself hesitating, and this self-consciousness came, that he felt not good enough for her, not whole, not a real man. Like Chris had said, how could she want to be with a has-been NBA player who was learning how to walk again?

He found himself wanting to be a better person because of her. Punching out Chris, that had been the old Nathan, and he didn't want to be that guy anymore.

* * *

"Hey, you made it," Haley smiled, as she opened her front door to see Nathan and Q, "Q, you're more than welcome to stay."

"Ah, thanks Miss James, but I've got a hot date of my own tonight," Q replied, winking suggestively at the two of them, "I just came to drop off this lunkhead. I hope he doesn't cause you too much trouble."

She laughed, "If he does, I'll leave him out on the curb."

Nathan wheeled himself in, and Haley shut the door behind him. He couldn't help but stare at the way her jeans hugged her every curve as she peered around the corner, making sure the coast was clear. Damn, she had a serious ass.

She turned back to him, and he tried to play it cool, "So, I'm going to warn you right now, that…"

But before she could get any further, Brooke was upon them, an evil smile on her face.

"Nice to see you again Nathan," she said, eying the two of them suspiciously, "I was hoping you'd show."

"Well, I made a promise, and I don't break my promises," he replied, smirking at Haley, who blushed and looked away quickly.

"Good to know," Brooke winked at Haley, before walking into the dining room.

"Nathan Scott," he heard a woman's voice say, and he looked up to see a woman with very short light brown hair and kind brown eyes, "I'm so glad you could make it."

"It's really nice to meet you, Mrs. James," Nathan replied. Like he'd told Haley before, he got nervous meeting a girl's parents. He'd met Peyton's father, but he was gone so often for work, he barely had to see him during their whole relationship. Meeting Mr. and Mrs. James, it felt like a big deal. He tried to treat it like it wasn't, because it wasn't like he and Haley were together or anything, but these were Haley's parents, and he didn't want to screw anything up. Not that there was anything…God, his thoughts were starting to ramble like Haley did when she got nervous.

"Oh please, call me Lydia," and without any warning, she leaned down and hugged him, his eyes widening in surprise, "Now, did you bring the wine?"

He looked at her, confused. Haley had told him he didn't have to bring anything, even though he'd offered several times over the past few days.

"I…I didn't know I was supposed to bring anything, Mrs. James, I mean, Lydia, but uh, I can go get some, or uh, well, I can give you the money to go get some, I'm sorry, I…" he stammered, stopping when he saw the older woman holding back a laugh.

"Ahhh, Nathan, I'm just messing with you," Lydia said, and though she looked extremely frail and fragile, Nathan knew not to mess with her.

Haley sighed, as the group moved into the dining room, where her father had set down a large bowl of mac and cheese, her favorite.

She knew that her father was nervous about meeting Nathan. Though they hadn't talked about Nathan being the reason he'd gotten his job, it was known, and it made him want this night to go really well, besides being his daughter's birthday. The job was working out, and her father enjoyed the work. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time.

* * *

"Mr. James, thank you for having me," Nathan said, as he got to the table, and everyone took their seats.

Jimmy and Lydia sat at the ends of the table, while Brooke, who had set the table, had set one plate on one side of the table, and two plates on the other side. Sneakily, she'd gotten to her place first, planning the whole thing to make Nathan and Haley sit next to each other.

"Nathan, we're all glad you could be here for Haley's special day," Jimmy smiled, "And to start off the birthday celebrations, we'll do our birthday toasts."

Toasts at birthday dinners were a tradition in the James family, and had been ever since Haley was little. Though her family was a tad eccentric, Haley was grateful that they were all so close, and that she'd been able to help them these past years.

"I'll go first," Jimmy said, standing, "A toast, to answered prayers."

Everyone clinked their glasses, filled with wine, as Lydia stood up, with help of Jimmy.

"I'd like to make a toast to good health," she smiled weakly, and Haley could see that she wasn't feeling 100%, but loved that she was putting on a brave face.

"Alright, Miss Davis, the honorary James," Jimmy said, "You're up."

Brooke smiled, "Well, I'll make my toast to the James family, for being great hosts, and for being the strongest, most selfless people I know."

"Here, here," Nathan added, as they all clinked glasses again, "I guess I'll make a toast to…new friends."

He smiled at Haley, and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks, as it always seemed to do lately when he looked at her.

"Alright birthday girl," Jimmy said, "Your turn!"

She sighed, looking around at the people sitting around the table, people that she cared about. She knew how lucky she was, to have two loving, supportive parents who loved each other and had always been there for her, to have a best friend, who, although drove her up the wall sometimes, she couldn't live without. And then, there was Nathan

He was stubborn, opinionated, even impossible at times, but Haley still found herself falling for him, even if she was trying to hold back slightly. They'd almost kissed, but, if something were to possibly happen maybe, she didn't want him to be a rebound. She was enjoying getting to know him, seeing sides of him that he didn't let everyone else see.

"Um, I guess I'll make my birthday toast to…life, and…living it to the fullest," Haley finally said, locking eyes with Nathan, who raised his glass, a knowing smile in his eyes.

Brooke clearing her throat brought Haley and Nathan back to reality, their gazes finally breaking, "Well I, for one, am starving. Let's eat, shall we?"

* * *

"That was delicious, Mr. James, thank you," Nathan insisted, after he finished his second helping of mac and cheese. He'd become a fan of it, thanks to Haley.

"Ah, Nate, Mr. James was my father. You can call me Jimmy," Haley's dad replied, "But we wanted to make today special. You only turn 23 once."

"That's my cue," Brooke smiled, getting up from the table and rushing into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with a cake, candles lit.

The group proceeded to sing Happy Birthday, and as they concluded, Lydia said, "Make a wish sweetheart."

Haley took a deep breath, blowing out the candles.

Everyone was smiling, and then Jimmy spoke up, "So I just wanted to say that we're proud of you Haley Bob, and um, I don't know what we would have done without you this past year."

Tears welled slightly in Haley's eyes as she heard her father say that, "Oh Dad!"

Jimmy's face took a slightly less serious form, "And Nathan, thank you for giving her a job. Somebody had to!"

Haley's jaw dropped as she threw her wadded-up napkin at her father, "Hey!"

Nathan chuckled, "The pleasure has been all mine, Jimmy."

* * *

"Present time!" Brooke cheered, as the group sat in the living room. She held out a wrapped box to Haley.

Knowing what it was, Haley smiled as she opened the box to reveal a red dress. It was definitely not something she would normally wear, but it was beautiful.

"Brooke!" Haley exclaimed, "Thank you."

"Oh, it's nothing," Brooke tried to brush off, "They had some extra fabric lying around the store and I couldn't help myself."

Lydia stood up, Jimmy supporting her arm, as she handed a square wrapped object to Haley. Nathan noticed her hands shake slightly as she extended them, but felt a warmth in his heart as he saw Jimmy cover her hands lovingly with his own.

"It's not much," Lydia replied, sitting back down carefully, "But your dad saw something on TV about the new hip thing being making your own presents. I guess we followed Brooke's example."

Haley opened the package to reveal a scrapbook. She turned the pages to see baby photos of her, pictures from her childhood, and photos of her and her parents and her and Brooke.

"This is awesome you guys, thank you," Haley replied sincerely.

"I, uh," Nathan stammered, reaching into his bag and pulling out a box, "I have something for you too, Hales."

"You got Haley Bob a present?" Lydia questioned, giving a knowing glance towards her husband, "Isn't that nice Jimmy?"

"That's very nice," Jimmy smiled, his eyebrows raised.

Haley's parents were perceptive people; they could see the way their daughter looked at Nathan Scott, and in turn, tonight, they were seeing the way he looked at her. The two of them had not liked Chris Keller, since the very beginning, but Nathan seemed like a decent guy. There was something about him, and Jimmy and Lydia James couldn't put their finger on it just quite yet, but they liked him.

Haley looked at Nathan as she took the present from him, their fingers brushing together slightly.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Haley insisted, shaking her head.

You know what Chris got her for her birthday last year? A poster size photo of himself with his guitar, in a gaudy gold frame. He'd even taken it into her room and helped her hang it up. The year before that, he'd forgotten about it, but he said he'd give her the best sex of her life that night. Yeah, no.

So, to have Nathan, who she'd known for, all of three months, think to give her a present, that was something.

She felt unable to breathe, unable to speak as she opened the package.

"Oh my god! I don't believe it," she exclaimed, holding the book in her hands, "Where did you find this?"

Nathan wore his signature smirk, "That is a secret. I have my connections, Hales."

"A book?" Brooke questioned, unable to see what it was.

"Only the best book ever," Haley replied, showing Brooke and her parents what it was, "It's a first edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. These are almost impossible to find."

"Open it," Nathan said, and as Haley did, she saw L. Frank Baum's signature in the book.

"You got me…an autographed first edition?" Haley questioned, thought she obviously already knew the answer.

He shook his head, "It was nothing….Happy birthday."

* * *

"You really didn't have to get me anything, you know," Haley stated, as she and Nathan sat by the pool in his backyard later that night, their legs dangling in the water.

"It's your birthday, Hales," Nathan shook his head, "If it really bothers you that much, you can think of it as a gift for putting up with my sorry ass."

His words made Haley giggle, and he couldn't help but smile as well. Here was this girl, who could look past all of his façade, and she didn't put up with his bullshit. It seemed like, lately, as girly as it sounded, every time he looked into her eyes, he felt…better. He felt like he could see a future, something he hadn't been able to see for himself since the accident.

Haley finally broke the silence between them, "You're getting stronger."

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, I guess. Q's not sure if I'll be able to walk 100% by the wedding…it's only a month away."

"Well, if I've learned anything about you, it's that you're stubborn," Haley smiled, "I'm sure you'll love proving Q wrong."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Nathan agreed.

The sky was clear, and stars glittered above them. It was a warm summer night, but a slight breeze started up, sending a shiver down Haley's spine as her foot brushed Nathan's in the water. Her eyes widened when his foot pushed hers back lightly.

Not even thinking before she spoke, she said, "You felt that?"

Nathan smirked, "Yeah."

"Sorry," Haley shook her head, becoming embarrassed, "That was a stupid question."

"No, it wasn't," he replied, "After the accident, I didn't have any feeling at all from the waist down. Slowly, it's come back. I guess I'm still just not used to feeling anything."

Haley bit her lip, suddenly noticing that she had been unconsciously moving closer to Nathan this whole time, and now their shoulders were centimeters apart, "Yeah, feeling is a tricky thing."

This was it. This was the time for Nathan to tell Haley that he was crazy about her. This was the time for Haley to tell Nathan that she did have feelings for him, more than just the platonic friendship the two had been having. They could both feel the pent-up tension between them, coursing faster and faster each time they were together.

A part of Haley knew, deep down, that whatever this was, it was something special. The feelings she had developed for him were unlike anything she had ever experienced. But alas, perfect timing was not in the cards for Nathan and Haley, not completely anyway, not just yet.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the fifth chapter of my Naley version of "Me Before You!"**

 **Let me know what you think about this chapter! Please review and let me know what you'd like to see happen in future chapters, as well!**


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